ACE’s Most Popular Workout Posts from 2013

When it comes to creating a flat stomach while also reducing low-back pain, few exercises are more effective than the plank. Here are 5 great variations on the plank, which not only use the deep abdominal muscles (which helps flatten the stomach), but also recruit the hip, shoulder and upper-back muscles as well.

Everyone, it seems, wants six-pack abs, but the most common exercise most people use to get them may be more effective at increasing back pain than building rock-hard abs. ACE Exercise Physiologist Pete McCall explains why crunches can be a pain in the back and offers 5 great alternatives that not only sculpt the abs, but strengthen the entire core as well.

Bodyweight exercises are effective and convenient to perform just about anytime, anywhere, but they can get a little stale if you don’t make an effort to mix things up a bit. Here are 5 creative variations on traditional bodyweight exercises that will challenge your muscles in a whole new way.

Don’t let your summer social life sabotage your hard-earned efforts this past winter and spring. Stay in shape all summer long with these high-intensity exercises designed to keep your muscles strong while burning a ton of calories.

Former Navy Seal Randy Hetrick, CEO and inventor of TRX, explains the genesis of the TRX and leads a fast and effective workout that will get the heart pounding, burn a ton of calories, and increase both strength and flexibility. These fun and innovative exercises can be done anytime, anywhere, as part of a longer workout, or on its own as a quick metabolic blast.

There is a lot of buzz around metabolic training these days, but few understand how to really maximize the benefits that come from this type of training. Fitness pro Shana Martin explains how to help your clients get the “biggest bang” for their workout buck and offers a quick and effective workout that is designed to accomplish a large amount of work in a very short amount of time.

Boot camp-style workouts are all the rage because they are highly intense, target all your muscle groups, require little or no equipment, and burn a ton of calories. However, not everyone has access to group boot camps in their area, while others may prefer to work out alone. Here is a list of military-inspired exercises you can do with minimal equipment on a field, park, or playground to ensure you get a full-body, all-encompassing workout.

The two most often-cited excuses for not exercising are lack of time and money. ACE-certified Personal Trainer Doug Balzarini offers this solution to both those excuses: hills. Performing hill sprints may be one of the most efficient ways to help your clients dramatically improve their fitness, shed body weight and fat, and meet their fitness goals. Here are two great workout routines—for beginners and advanced exercisers—to help you get started.